Votto on the long term

Reds 1B Joey Votto was certainly prepared to take the field for the first full squad workout on Friday. Votto was also prepared for the post-workout questions about his long term future with the Reds. After first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder signed monster contracts this winter, Votto is viewed as one of the next big blockbusters to come when he can hit the market after the 2013 season. He’s currently playing under a three-year, $38 million contract that he signed in January, 2011.

“I’m going to make it pretty simple for just about anybody,” Votto said. “I’m going to leave all that to the Reds front office and my agent and myself. I will try to keep it as private as possible. I don’t think it’s fair to the fans. I don’t think it’s fair to myself. It’s certainly not fair to the team for any of that type of stuff to creep into the season and become a distraction. I plan to make some sort of comment if I happen to sign an extension with the Reds or if I happen to get to the point where I get to free agency.”

Someone who doesn’t like to make a lot of waves publicly in general, it’s the distraction factor that Votto is most abhorrent about when it comes to public contract talk.

“You know what? I’m human and it is a distraction,” Votto said. “As much as players want to say it’s not a distraction and it doesn’t affect me at all, it’s exhausting. And it’s a lingering issue. The team knows about it. Fans know about it. Management knows about it. The bottom line is every player has the right to say yes and no. it’s clearly my decision. Once the public gets a handle on it, it can turn bad and I don’t want that because I’m in a lucky spot. I signed a three-year deal last year. I have another two years on my deal. And I’m in a position where I don’t have to comment on contracts because I’m in the midst of one.”

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8 Comments

I think Votto is being very straight forward, however, to be honest, I don’t think
the Red’s revenue stream could afford a $22M-$25M salary for any one
ballplayer anyway. Getting beyond Phillips potential salary will take some major
doing as is. Votto is a pipe dream, imo, but he should fetch us a very good trade
in the beginning of 2013 or so. We all have to remember that it’s all business and those with revenues has and those without revenues has not. Yet, Jocketty is doing a
bang up job relative to the revenue stream that the Red’s currently generate. In fact, he’s also trying to improve aspect of the team as well; ie: make the playoffs this year by signing qualified talent. With talent comes BIS (butts in seats). BIS comes increased attendance figures. Increased attendance figures comes more revenues which allows for more signings of more talented players. Talented players means more wins which means making the playoffs!?* Whew…I’m exhausted!

Uptick in attendance doesn’t mean all that much anymore. They already average about 65% capacity and this market isn’t going to sustain anything close to 100%, so even a dramatic increase would end up generating only a marginal increase in the revenue stream. What separates the big boys from the also-rans these days is the revenue generated by the television contracts. The Reds’ contract is piss-poor and isn’t about to undergo a significant change with the second smallest television market in all of the game. It is what it is, with a bit of manuevering room there, but that is all. Certainly not enough to retain star players over a long period of time.

Disagree. Revenues mean everything to a team; especially a team like the
Reds. Revenues increase first and foremost by increased attendance. Currently,
the Reds are sporting an attendance figure of around 2.2M. The purpose Jocketty was advanced to the main office was for one reason: increase revenues. How? More talent which immediately increases attendance figures and competitive advantages. Why ae the buyers of the Dodgers backing out of deals when they find out they can’t have the ‘parking’ included in the deal? Why was Jocketty advanced to President and CEO from consultant and advisor? All add up to one answer…increased revenues, as nothing else in MLB matters. The Reds 2.2M attendance total last year has to increase and the only way to do that is for the Reds to be a contentious team and make the playoffs, plain and simple. Their paltry $10M TV/Cable deal ain’t gonna get it. Today it’s only a one-way street…a potentially contentious team that can bring in more than 2.2M and make the playoffs (more revenues).
Nothing else matters to the bottom line, imo.

You prefer, apparently, to ignore the main argument: it mostly comes down to television revenue. That’s what makes the Yankees, the Angels, the Red Sox, and the Phillies the elite of the elite, not butts in the seats. In fact, the Angels don’t do that in laid-back, diverted southern California. But a billion dollar television contract makes up that difference and a heck of a lot more!

Votto will get his “lot of money” when the time comes. I do not believe it will be here in Cincinnati. Not because of the amount but because Votto wishes to play elsewhere. Its not that he does not like it here but players of his caliber have the right to pick and chose how much the play for and where. It is a pleasure watching him play for the Reds now and I really wish he would stay but I respect his right to go elsewhere if that makes him happy. For now enjoy what we have while we have it.

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